Did India really halt oil imports from Russia amid Trump’s warning?

Washington DC: U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday said it would be “a good step” if India had indeed stopped purchasing oil from Russia, while the Indian government maintained that its energy decisions remain rooted in national interest and market dynamics.

Responding to a question from ANI about potential penalties on India and whether he planned to speak with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump said he welcomed any move by New Delhi to reduce energy ties with Moscow.

Earlier, Reuters reported that India's state-run refiners — Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), and Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd (MRPL) — have not placed orders for Russian crude in the past week, according to four sources familiar with their purchase plans.

Later in the same day, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it was unaware of any specific developments involving Indian oil companies halting Russian imports. It reaffirmed that India's energy transactions are based on economic considerations.

The US President said, "I understand that India is no longer going to be buying oil from Russia. That's what I heard, I don't know if that's right or not. That is a good step. We will see what happens..." says, US President Donald Trump on a question by ANI, if he had a number in mind for the penalties and if he is going to speak with PM Modi."

On Friday, during the weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, when asked about media reports that some Indian oil companies have stopped taking oil from Russia, had said India has made clear its approach on the issue.

"You are aware of our broad approach to energy sourcing requirements, that we look at what is available in the market and the prevailing global situation. We are not aware of any specifics," he said.

Jaiswal's comments came after a series of statements from the US, including from President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, criticising India for continuing to import discounted Russian oil despite Western sanctions over the Ukraine war.

On the front of India-US ties, New Delhi on Friday expressed confidence that its relationship with the United States will continue to move forward, and it remains focused on the substantive agenda the two countries are committed to.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Trump announced the imposition of 25 per cent tariffs on Indian goods and a penalty for importing Russian oil, even as there were hopes of an interim India-US trade that would have otherwise helped avoid elevated tariffs.

After announcing a 25 per cent tariff and penalties for purchasing Russian oil, US President Donald Trump had said on Wednesday (local time) that Washington is continuing trade negotiations with New Delhi. He emphasised that India is one of the countries imposing high tariffs on the United States.

In response to ANI, if the US remains open to negotiating with India on the tariff front, Trump stated, "We're talking to them now. We'll see what happens. Again, India was the highest or just about the highest tariff nation in the world, one of the highest, 100 points, 150 points or percentages. So India was one of the highest in the world. They had 175 per cent and higher than that."

He emphasised India-US ties, calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a "friend," while noting the US trade deficit with India. He further stated that it "doesn't matter too much" if the India-US deal reaches a certain tariff.

"As you know, Prime Minister Modi is a friend of mine, but they don't do very much business in terms of business with us. They sell a lot to us, but we don't buy from them. You know why? Because the tariff is so high. They have one of the highest tariffs in the world. Now they're willing to cut it very substantially. But we'll see what happens. We're talking to India now," the US President said.

Meanwhile, in India, the government informed Parliament on Thursday that US President Donald Trump has announced a reciprocal tariff on Indian goods. It is currently examining the impact of these recent events and will take all necessary steps to safeguard the national interest. (ANI)